Ludwig



we TATES ATENT Finch,

LUDlVlG OTTO HELMERS, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO ICHTIIYOI. GESELLSOIIAFT, CORDES, I-IERMANNI -& 00., OF SAME PLACE.

TASTELESS COMPOUND FROM SULFURETED HYDROCARBONS AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,028, dated May 2, 1899.

Original application filed February 23, 1898, Serial No. 671,369. Divided and this application filed A t 16, 1898. Serial No. 688,709- (Speoimena) To all whom it may concern: substances, of which a small quantity re- Beitknown that I, LUDWIG OTTO HELMERS, mains mixed with the salts, properly speakdoctor of philosophy, asubject of the German ing. As described in the specification of my Emperor, residingatHamburg, in the German pending application, (Serial No. 671,369,) it

Empire, have invented certain new and useis possible to obtain tasteless products by ful Improvements in the Production of Sulextracting the salts with certain solvents, by fonic-Acid Salts of Alkaline-Earthy Metals which process the substances causing a peand Metals Proper, (forming divisional porculiar taste are removed. Upon further extion of my pending application filed February amining the substances extracted by a sol- IO 23, 1898, Serial No. 671,369,) of which the folvent, such as alcohol,it Was found that when lowing is a specification. heated up to a temperature of about 130 to The ammonium, sodium, and lithium com- 140 centigrade these substances undergo a pounds of the product obtained by the action decomposition, while tasteless products are of sulfuric acid upon Seefel'd mineral oil and formed. The alcoholic extract originally pre- 15 known under the name of ichthyol, heresenting a light-brown color, in this chemical tofore employed in therapeutics, represent action turns perceptibly darker and melts substances soluble in water and having a down to a hard and brittle mass under disvery intense and peculiar taste. I If the sulengagement of vapors. In consequence of tonic acid of the ichthyol serving as the ini-. these facts attempts were made to destroy 2o tial product of these compounds be neutralthose substances mixed with the ichthyolized with lime, (calcium carbonate,) magnesalts, even with the soluble ichthyol-salts, sia, (magnesium carbonate,) or a metallic and causing the peculiar taste without using oxid, (its carbonic salt,) instead of employing extracting agents by simply heating the prodammonia, soda, or lithium carbonate, then ucts in order to obtain tasteless salts. In

2 5 the corresponding ichthyol compounds of the the case of the salts soluble in waternamely, 7 5 alkaline earths or of the metals, respectively, the ichthyol-sodium, ichthyolammonium, are obtained. These compounds are entirely ichthyol-lithiumthe experiment did not insoluble in water and therefore may also be prove the supposition to be correct. The subobtained by alternate decomposition of solustances heated for ten hours to a tempera- 30 tions of ichthyol-alkalies with soluble salts ture of about 130 to 140 centigrade still posof the alkaline earths or of the metals. After sessed a distinct taste. This taste therefore drying at a temperature of centigrade is peculiar to the alkali salts. Moreover, these ichthyol-salts admit of being pulverthese salts, and especially the ichthyol-amized and then form a brown-black non-hygromonium, when being heated,'sutfer decompo 35 scopic powder, which is insoluble in water, sition in a considerable measure, which be- 8 as well as in solutions of organic acids. On comes already apparent by the incomplete the other hand, it readily dissolves in chlorosolubility of the heated product in Water. form. When heated with mineral acids, the Theichthyol-salts of the earthy alkalies and base again splits off and ichthyol sulfonic metals behave difierently from the alkaline 4o acid is reformed. Also by heating Withcaussalts.- On exposing these products for about 90 tic alkalies or carbonic alkalies the salts besix hours up to a temperature of about come decomposed. The ichthyol-alkaline to centigrade they lose their taste ensalt which is dissolved and the oxid or cartirely, While otherwise remaining unchanged. bonate, respectively, of the base of the ich- Thus, for example, the heated products are 45 thyol-salt employed are formed. In spite of split up just as completely, though with some- 5 their being insoluble in water, these ichthyol what more difficulty, by mineral acids and al compounds yet possess rather a strong taste, kalies. Like the ichthyol-salts also behave even after having been most carefully washed the corresponding salts of sulfonic-acid comwith water. lxperiments have shown that pounds derivedfrom sulfureted hydrocarbons 50 the taste is due to the existence of peculiar combined with sulfuric acid. I00

The following; examples may serve for illustrating the process:

(a) One kilogram of iehthyol sulfonic acid, which by repeated solution in Water and precipitation by means of hydrochloric acid, is freed from the sulfuric acid adherent thereto, is dissolved in five kilograms of water and neutralized by means of ammonia. The solution is subsequently mixed with about one and a half liters of a caleium-chlorid solution of twenty per cent, the precipitated ichthyol calcium is washed with water as long as hydrochloric acid is present in the water, and the admixed water finally is evaporated at the lowest possible temperature. The dry residue, which amounts to about one-half kilogram, lastly is for five to eight hours exposed to a temperature up to about 130 to 14c0 centigrade, at the end of which operation it has lost three to four per cent. of its weight.

(1)) One kilogram of ichthyol-ammonium dissolved in twelve liters of water is, while stirring the product, mixed with one-half kilogram offerric sulfate dissolved in fifteen liters of water and having a little acetic acid added to it. The liquid becomes clear after the lapse of a few hours and is then decanted from the precipitate, which consists of ichthyol-iron, by washing the ichthyol-iron with water. It is freed from the iron solution adherent in excess. It is subsequently dried at a temperature of Finally the temperature is raised to about Centigrade for several hours.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. The process of rendering tasteless sulfonic-aeid salts of alkaline-earthy metals and metals proper from sulfnreted hydrocarbons combined with sulfuric acid which consists in heating the salts up to about to centigrade, substantially as set forth.

2. As a new product of manufacture the herein-described sulfonic-acid salts of alkaline-earthy metals and metals proper derived from sulfnret-ed hydrocarbons combined with sulfuric acid, which salts in a pulvernlent state are insoluble in water, and devoid of taste and smell.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 3d day of August, 1808.

LUD VIG OTTO IIELMERS.

Vitnesses:

GEoRG HARBOR'I, ALEXANDER Srncrrr. 

